5 Things to Do After a Job Interview

5 Things to Do After a Job Interview

12 Jun 2014

How to get hired,Job Interview

Frank

What to do after passing the job interview

Post job interview strategies

This is the fifth of a series of blog posts on how to get hired, aimed at non-native speakers of English looking for a job.
Many young job candidates often wonder what to do after passing a job interview. Do I sit on my hands and wait for a response or should I take some action?

If you want to set yourself apart in the job hunting race, my advice is to be assertive.

Here are five simple strategies for what to do after having a job interview.

1.Send a follow-up thank-you message to the interviewer while things are fresh in your mind. Don't wait very long; in fact, send the letter immediately.

If timing is important for you, you can email the person.

2.Send a paper thank-you letter by snail or regular mail. While this may seem old-fashioned to Gen X or Y, the interviewer may be impressed by this.

If you do mail a thank-you letter, use high quality paper and envelope, preferably off white or beige. And, of course, don’t handwrite the letter, but use a word processor. Make sure too that it’s completely error-free.

There are two good reasons for this strategy. First, it shows that you are really interested in getting the job. Second, it`s a sign that you are polite and professional.

3. Keep the letter short, but long enough to get your message across. You want to show appreciation for having the interview. You also want to remind the interviewer of your personal qualities as well as your value to the company.

You could write something like, “I’d like to remind you of my strong interest in working for your company; my outstanding personal qualities and skills show that I would be a successful candidate.”

4. Share special knowledge you may have in response to a problem or issue that came up in the interview.

Even if you are a young a job seeker, you may have experience based on an internship you did, or summer or part time work experience you have, or a paper written for a university course.

Proposing a solution to an issue would really set you apart from other candidates.

5. Write a JIST card.

Michael Farr came up with this amazing idea in his book, The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book. JIST stands for “Job Information and Seeking Training.” Think of it as a mini-CV printed on a 3 x 5 inch card. You could also use the information in your email signature.